Fidel Castro was one of numerous significant casualties that occurred in 2016. Unlike Prince or Gene Wilder, Castro is not remembered for his entertainment abilities or power to bring joy to people. Castro was a ruthless Cuban dictator, president, and prime minister who led the country for a total of forty-seven years. Castro was, in some respects, a phenomenal leader. He led the Cuban revolution through guerrilla tactics, was subsequently jailed, and returned to overthrow the Batista. He was an excellent leader who ended years of unrest. However, Führer Adolf Hitler did the same thing following Germany's depression. He resurrected Germany from the ashes of World War II, much like Castro did for Cuba following the revolution, and formed the Nazi Party. Some will praise him for the fact that he was able to lead the country forward, but his methods were questionable and he is undeniably an evil man. Under his power, Cuba adopted a a Marxist-Leninist ideology and converted Cuba into a pro-Soviet, one-party, socialist state under Communist Party rule. Throughout history, it's pretty clear where communism falls on the spectrum of good and evil. Communism and communist dictators have caused a significant body count worldwide, and Castro was no exception. Castro was seemingly an enemy of the United States during the Kennedy Administration. This led to the invasion of the Bay of Pigs. Castro had killed a number of people during his revolution and subsequent dictatorship. He was such a powerful influence during Kennedy's presidency that many revolutionists also tried to overthrow Castro and limit his power. All of this ended when Castro finally retired from government in 2008. He still remained an influence on government decision-making concerning trade and other foreign affairs. If his funeral were held on Sunday, there isn't a chance I would attend. I'm a very politically minded person, and my politics coincide with ethics. Castro had no ethics. He seemed to do everything he did just to gin power of the Cuban government. I have trouble believing he truly cared about the Cuban people, which is why many Americans that immigrated form Cuba have opposed Castro. He seemingly does the same thing Trump is doing. He claims to care about the middle class, but what would one of the richest men in the world know about being a struggling middle class American? He wants to raise taxes to make the situation worse for us than it already is. He has no place in government, and Castro was the same. Cuba definitely deserved its freedom and liberation, but the revolutionary should've been someone who wouldn't turn to communism. I firmly believe someone who uses violence to achieve things should not be in charge of leading a country. Should people never use violence to achieve good? Of course not. However, the idea of someone with violent tendencies operating an entire nation is scary. People of all nationalities died under Castro's reign, and I hate the fact that history is seemingly repeating itself with all the protests we have in the United States. To reiterate, I would not attend the ceremonial burying of a communist dictator who used violence and guerrilla warfare to achieve a government position as high as president. Of all the beloved icons we lost this year like Prince, Muhammad Ali, David Bowie, Gene Wilder, and many others; I was glad to see Castro leave this world.
This doesn't happen very often..... but I actually agree with you blog this week! I wouldn't go either and even though he did some good things, there is no excuse for the bad things he has done.
The major question I think most people are going to ask with this weeks topic is, who is Fidel Castro? There are many mixed opinions on Castro, such as that he destroyed Cuba and was a ruthless dictator. To many American it may seem that way because of the Cold War and the thousands of refugees that escaped to our country only 90 miles away. Although we must give him the credit of surviving over four presidents of America and being able to stay in power all those years. Should I go to such a mans funeral? I am torn between if I should go or not because he did help those poor people in Cuba receive food, electricity, and shelter. However, he did cause much suffering for others and caused many deaths just to get into power and to stay in power. Some say he destroyed the country with his thirst for power and the goal to keep it, some say he helped the country by getting rid of American powers and negotiations and making Cuba a communist country. The sad fact is I may never know if he truly was a good or bad leader of the country because I will only hear one side of the story in history class and that aide will be the United States side. I can only say that I cannot reserve my spot for the funeral on Sunday.
I felt the same way, I didn't really know who he was or what he's done. So it was different for me to contemplate going or not. One thing I didn't read up on was his support to Cuban citizens, knowing that now, my decision might need reconsidered. But I would probably end up not going. Good blog!!
Nichole, I liked how you helped to explain who Fidel Castro is. You might be able to truly learn about whether he's a good person or a bad person if you attended his funeral and talked to the people there.
Nichole, the part about how Cuba is only 90 miles away was a good addition. 👍 At least for me personally, it's hard to imagine Castro and his country is really that close to America.
I agree with Tim and appreciate your honesty about your feelings! I think many people can relate to your confusion about if he's a good person or not, and using a kind of 'pros and cons' list to figure it out.
I can remember my first time learning about Fidel Castro in school and all of the terrible things he did to the people of Cuba. I used to think there was no way this insane guy was still alive if I'm reading about him in an old, dusty textbook. When I found out he was in fact, still alive, I remember feeling angry and sad for the people trapped under his rule. Now years later, I have learned of all of the families who have escaped from Cuba and the terrible actions of Castro. The idea that a ruler will go to the drastic lengths that Castro did to remain a dictator, is awful and terrifying. The first thing that comes to mind when I hear Castro's name are not all of his evil actions but rather, all of the harrowing stories of families who were able to escape from Cuba to create a better life. In particular, I think of some of my favorite Major League Baseball players, Jose Fernandez (who recently passed away) and Aledmys Díaz. Both of their families knew the consequences of staying in Cuba, and made the incredibly hard decision of defecting to the United States. They risked their lives to reach the dream of a more safe and happy life. Throughout their journey of making their way into the MLB, they were able to spread their amazing stories and impact many lives of people of all ages, including myself. Of course, there are many more people with incredible stories, but that would take me forever to describe the impacts they all had on the people of the United States and other countries. Honestly, without Castro, the world wouldn't have been impacted so positively by people like Jose Fernandez and all of their amazing accomplishments that have inspired people to chase their own dreams without fear. That is the only positive thing that I, and I hope others, will ever be able to say about Fidel Castro and whatever becomes of his legacy. So, I think I would actually go to the funeral in honor and respect of all the families Castro indirectly helped in the long run. I think that would really irritate Castro that I was there for someone other than himself, especially for people who managed the escape from his country. I would also assume that there are some people who would want to attend for the same reason. Maybe some of Jose's or Aledmys' family feels this way. Maybe parts of them actually thank him. They would want to show that Castro didn't ruin their lives and that they were able to make it out from under his rule. He probably never took the time to consider the fate of the families that were successful in leaving his country once they were gone. But I would be there, dressed in a brightly colored outfit with all of the names of the people that defected to the United States and those who did not make it there written on my shirt.
I like your rendition of this weeks blog by incorporating the baseball aspect of Cuban and Castro's life. I can understand why you would attend his funeral service due to your passion for the Cuban MLB players. I like you outlook of this weeks blog! 👍🏼
Bobbi, I like how you educated us on the families that thrived when they escaped Fidel Castro's reign. It brought something new to the table. Keep up the good work!
Would I go to Fidel Castros funeral? No. Castro was a ruthless dictator that persecuted his own people. Anyone the spoke out against the government was jailed without trial. Many of those that were jailed were eventually tortured or killed. Fidel lived a very rich life while the people he was supposed to protect lived in poverty. For these reasons, I would not attend his funeral on Sunday because I feel that that would be accepting his behavior. Castro first came into power through overthrowing a dictator. People believed that he would bring freedom and safety to their country. He started out by allowing people to start businesses. However, he took all those businesses away and took the wealth for him in the government. Castro did indeed help improve literacy and health care. But how many people were killed by the demands of this man. In my opinion he reminds me of Hitler, strong military leader but lacking in respect for all life. So why wouldn't I go to his funeral? I wouldn't go to his funeral because he killed for no reason, he tortured, he stifled economic and political freedom, and I he didn't respect human life. I wouldn't go out of respect for the people that Castro disrespected.
I liked the way you are arguing for the people he disrespected, however I don't necessarily agree that attending his funeral would be condoning his actions as a leader because attending wouldn't condone that it's going and acknowledging that he was alive and being able to see other people's reactions to his death at the funeral, I feel would be interesting.
There were two shocking points to this blog for myself. One, who actually is Fidel Castro? And second, he died? I vaguely remember learning about him during history class. I remember the name, but not many details of his life and what he's done. Naturally, I googled him and found out I do remember a few aspects of his life; the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Bay of Pigs. Knowing now that he has passed away, I would not go to the funeral. For those who commit threats against our country and it's allies, we do not sympathize their death, nor do we necessarily celebrate it, but attending his funeral would be hypocritical to our beliefs. Sorrowing the death of a man who has done wrong to our country is unnecessary. That is like sympathizing the death of Bin Laden. The severity of their threats doesn't matter in this situation, but it's the threats itself. They deliberately made terroristic threats against our nation, our people, and our government. They do not deserve our American attendance to their funeral ceremony.
I respect your opinion, Emily, and totally understand where you are coming from! Are you saying that all Americans should not attend out of respect for their country? If so, what if an American was his friend or family member? Is their obligation to their country greater than their obligation to their family?
The blog is a very open-ended question, so I'll answer it as such. Irregardless of how he managed his country or his life, the deceased could be anyone. Because I'm a Christian, if I was invited as a friend of the family, then it's my duty to go to be supportive of those left behind and to pray for the deceased's soul. If I could go to his funeral having also fulfilled my Sunday obligation, then yes. But if everybody was getting invitations, and it had no personal meaning, then no, because my time would be better spent in Church praying. A human is a human, no matter how horrible they may be.
Timmy, I really respect this viewpoint you have on the question. It's definitely different than and most people would probably not consider the way you were thinking. .
When I looked at this weeks blog I knew next to nothing about Fidel Castro and I did not think I would be able to make a good argument in my blog. My first instinct was to go to my dad because not only does he have an answer to practically everything, he also puts a Catholic twist to what he says. After having a great discussion with my dad and further researching Fidel Castro, I have come to the conclusion that I would not be attending his funeral. Although I will be praying for Castro's soul, by going to his funeral it would give the sense that I approve of his dictatorship and his persecution of the Cuban people. Fidel Castro was tyrannical communist dictator of Cuba. He shut down free press, confiscated personal property, and persecuted the Catholic Church. When Castro took power in Cuba, he took control over all of the newspapers, radio stations, and television stations in order to maintain the information that went around Cuba. Since Castro was trying to turn Cuba into a communist nation, all businesses became property of the communist party. Therefore, all ownership of personal property was band. One of the biggest problems I have with Fidel Castro was his persecution against the Catholic Church. Cuba used to have a very large population of Catholics before Fidel Castro came along. He made most Cubans drop their faith because he would not allow practicing Catholics to have good paying jobs and he also started to confiscate some of the Catholic Churches. To be a good dictator, one must control the people through fear. Religion can give people a sense hope and with hope fear will decrease. Castro saw the Catholic Church as a threat because he knew that he could not always be the only leader in the eyes of a Catholic. Therefore, Fidel Castro's goal in life was to have complete dictatorship of his country and the civilians. That is why I would NOT be attending his funeral.
I would not go to Fidel Castro's funeral if I was invited. Why? I wouldn't attend because I think it would be inappropriate. I didn't know Fidel Castro nor anything about him, therefore why would I attend? I would even question my invite if this were to happen because I believe funerals are for those who knew the deceased person to remember and celebrate their life. At funerals, everyone contributes to conversations about what a great person they were and memories with that person. I wouldn't be able to contribute to the conversations, AT ALL. If I were to attend it would be for selfish reasons, such as being able to tell people I went to Fidel Castro's funeral, and that would be horrible. It would be more hurtful for the family than helpful. As Tim mentioned, we are called to pray for his soul and family, but sometimes it's better to do that in private.
I like you and Tim's perspective about this. It's quite different from mine. I guess you could say you called me about about being selfish! I didn't think about this side of the argument. I like how you wrapped this up. Good closing.
If I was invited to Fidel Castros funeral I would attend because he was a good and authoritative leader that ruled for many years. In 1947 Fidel joined the Cuban People’s Party. He liked this party's campaign against against corruption, injustice, poverty, unemployment and low wages. Before this Fidel was a lawyer and in the time he experienced as a lawyer he became extremely critical of the great inequalities in wealth that existed in Cuba. Once Castro was in power one of the first things he did was cut rent for low paid workers as much as 50%. Castro was also morally opposed to racism so he abolished segregation laws in public places like. swimming pools and cemeteries. Castro also believed in education for all so at this time when there were poor rural areas, the children were all taught how to read and write. Education soon became free to all Cubans. There was also a free health service introduced by the government to help the health of the young people and also began a vaccination program. Fidel cared greatly about the people of our age and I would be curious to learn even more about what he did for people of our age and for the rest of his country as well. He had his bad side but overall I think he was a caring leader and had a heart and wanted what was best for his people.
Brandi, I was really suprised when I read your blog. From history classes, the only thing I really remember hearing about Castro was that he was mean and abusive towards the Cuban people. Unless I, thinking of the wrong person, this Fidel Castro seems completely different.
The simplicity of this blog kind of caught me off guard. It's a rather funny and shocking question to be asked. While I would almost feel like an invader to his funeral, I think it's my duty to attend. I really don't remember too much about Castro. I know he was harsh to the people of Cuba, but that's about it. I don't remember if he was the president, some ruler, or just came to power randomly. It reminds me of Hitler, though. If I had the opportunity to attend his funeral, I would hands down go. I think often we don't realize that we're apart of history in the making. Castro's death, regardless of if I'm a fan or not, is major history. Because of his important role in the history of Cuba, his death is going to have a certain impact. I would feel like an intruder going to his funeral because of the little information I know about him. However, I believe it's my duty to attend because I'm a part of making history. Even my impact, though small it would probably be, would still be a big enough impact to make history. That is why I would attend Castro's funeral.
Fidel Castro was one of numerous significant casualties that occurred in 2016. Unlike Prince or Gene Wilder, Castro is not remembered for his entertainment abilities or power to bring joy to people. Castro was a ruthless Cuban dictator, president, and prime minister who led the country for a total of forty-seven years. Castro was, in some respects, a phenomenal leader. He led the Cuban revolution through guerrilla tactics, was subsequently jailed, and returned to overthrow the Batista. He was an excellent leader who ended years of unrest. However, Führer Adolf Hitler did the same thing following Germany's depression. He resurrected Germany from the ashes of World War II, much like Castro did for Cuba following the revolution, and formed the Nazi Party. Some will praise him for the fact that he was able to lead the country forward, but his methods were questionable and he is undeniably an evil man. Under his power, Cuba adopted a a Marxist-Leninist ideology and converted Cuba into a pro-Soviet, one-party, socialist state under Communist Party rule. Throughout history, it's pretty clear where communism falls on the spectrum of good and evil. Communism and communist dictators have caused a significant body count worldwide, and Castro was no exception. Castro was seemingly an enemy of the United States during the Kennedy Administration. This led to the invasion of the Bay of Pigs. Castro had killed a number of people during his revolution and subsequent dictatorship. He was such a powerful influence during Kennedy's presidency that many revolutionists also tried to overthrow Castro and limit his power. All of this ended when Castro finally retired from government in 2008. He still remained an influence on government decision-making concerning trade and other foreign affairs. If his funeral were held on Sunday, there isn't a chance I would attend. I'm a very politically minded person, and my politics coincide with ethics. Castro had no ethics. He seemed to do everything he did just to gin power of the Cuban government. I have trouble believing he truly cared about the Cuban people, which is why many Americans that immigrated form Cuba have opposed Castro. He seemingly does the same thing Trump is doing. He claims to care about the middle class, but what would one of the richest men in the world know about being a struggling middle class American? He wants to raise taxes to make the situation worse for us than it already is. He has no place in government, and Castro was the same. Cuba definitely deserved its freedom and liberation, but the revolutionary should've been someone who wouldn't turn to communism. I firmly believe someone who uses violence to achieve things should not be in charge of leading a country. Should people never use violence to achieve good? Of course not. However, the idea of someone with violent tendencies operating an entire nation is scary. People of all nationalities died under Castro's reign, and I hate the fact that history is seemingly repeating itself with all the protests we have in the United States. To reiterate, I would not attend the ceremonial burying of a communist dictator who used violence and guerrilla warfare to achieve a government position as high as president. Of all the beloved icons we lost this year like Prince, Muhammad Ali, David Bowie, Gene Wilder, and many others; I was glad to see Castro leave this world.
ReplyDeleteThis doesn't happen very often..... but I actually agree with you blog this week! I wouldn't go either and even though he did some good things, there is no excuse for the bad things he has done.
DeleteThe major question I think most people are going to ask with this weeks topic is, who is Fidel Castro? There are many mixed opinions on Castro, such as that he destroyed Cuba and was a ruthless dictator. To many American it may seem that way because of the Cold War and the thousands of refugees that escaped to our country only 90 miles away. Although we must give him the credit of surviving over four presidents of America and being able to stay in power all those years. Should I go to such a mans funeral? I am torn between if I should go or not because he did help those poor people in Cuba receive food, electricity, and shelter. However, he did cause much suffering for others and caused many deaths just to get into power and to stay in power. Some say he destroyed the country with his thirst for power and the goal to keep it, some say he helped the country by getting rid of American powers and negotiations and making Cuba a communist country. The sad fact is I may never know if he truly was a good or bad leader of the country because I will only hear one side of the story in history class and that aide will be the United States side. I can only say that I cannot reserve my spot for the funeral on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way, I didn't really know who he was or what he's done. So it was different for me to contemplate going or not. One thing I didn't read up on was his support to Cuban citizens, knowing that now, my decision might need reconsidered. But I would probably end up not going. Good blog!!
DeleteNichole, I liked how you helped to explain who Fidel Castro is. You might be able to truly learn about whether he's a good person or a bad person if you attended his funeral and talked to the people there.
DeleteNichole, the part about how Cuba is only 90 miles away was a good addition. 👍 At least for me personally, it's hard to imagine Castro and his country is really that close to America.
DeleteI agree with Tim and appreciate your honesty about your feelings! I think many people can relate to your confusion about if he's a good person or not, and using a kind of 'pros and cons' list to figure it out.
DeleteI can remember my first time learning about Fidel Castro in school and all of the terrible things he did to the people of Cuba. I used to think there was no way this insane guy was still alive if I'm reading about him in an old, dusty textbook. When I found out he was in fact, still alive, I remember feeling angry and sad for the people trapped under his rule. Now years later, I have learned of all of the families who have escaped from Cuba and the terrible actions of Castro. The idea that a ruler will go to the drastic lengths that Castro did to remain a dictator, is awful and terrifying. The first thing that comes to mind when I hear Castro's name are not all of his evil actions but rather, all of the harrowing stories of families who were able to escape from Cuba to create a better life. In particular, I think of some of my favorite Major League Baseball players, Jose Fernandez (who recently passed away) and Aledmys Díaz. Both of their families knew the consequences of staying in Cuba, and made the incredibly hard decision of defecting to the United States. They risked their lives to reach the dream of a more safe and happy life. Throughout their journey of making their way into the MLB, they were able to spread their amazing stories and impact many lives of people of all ages, including myself. Of course, there are many more people with incredible stories, but that would take me forever to describe the impacts they all had on the people of the United States and other countries. Honestly, without Castro, the world wouldn't have been impacted so positively by people like Jose Fernandez and all of their amazing accomplishments that have inspired people to chase their own dreams without fear. That is the only positive thing that I, and I hope others, will ever be able to say about Fidel Castro and whatever becomes of his legacy. So, I think I would actually go to the funeral in honor and respect of all the families Castro indirectly helped in the long run. I think that would really irritate Castro that I was there for someone other than himself, especially for people who managed the escape from his country. I would also assume that there are some people who would want to attend for the same reason. Maybe some of Jose's or Aledmys' family feels this way. Maybe parts of them actually thank him. They would want to show that Castro didn't ruin their lives and that they were able to make it out from under his rule. He probably never took the time to consider the fate of the families that were successful in leaving his country once they were gone. But I would be there, dressed in a brightly colored outfit with all of the names of the people that defected to the United States and those who did not make it there written on my shirt.
ReplyDeleteI like your rendition of this weeks blog by incorporating the baseball aspect of Cuban and Castro's life. I can understand why you would attend his funeral service due to your passion for the Cuban MLB players. I like you outlook of this weeks blog! 👍🏼
DeleteI really enjoyed your blog this week! Your perspective was very refreshing to see and understand!
DeleteBobbi, I like how you educated us on the families that thrived when they escaped Fidel Castro's reign. It brought something new to the table. Keep up the good work!
DeleteWould I go to Fidel Castros funeral? No. Castro was a ruthless dictator that persecuted his own people. Anyone the spoke out against the government was jailed without trial. Many of those that were jailed were eventually tortured or killed. Fidel lived a very rich life while the people he was supposed to protect lived in poverty. For these reasons, I would not attend his funeral on Sunday because I feel that that would be accepting his behavior. Castro first came into power through overthrowing a dictator. People believed that he would bring freedom and safety to their country. He started out by allowing people to start businesses. However, he took all those businesses away and took the wealth for him in the government. Castro did indeed help improve literacy and health care. But how many people were killed by the demands of this man. In my opinion he reminds me of Hitler, strong military leader but lacking in respect for all life. So why wouldn't I go to his funeral? I wouldn't go to his funeral because he killed for no reason, he tortured, he stifled economic and political freedom, and I he didn't respect human life. I wouldn't go out of respect for the people that Castro disrespected.
ReplyDeleteI liked the way you are arguing for the people he disrespected, however I don't necessarily agree that attending his funeral would be condoning his actions as a leader because attending wouldn't condone that it's going and acknowledging that he was alive and being able to see other people's reactions to his death at the funeral, I feel would be interesting.
DeleteNichole, I really like your blog this week! I totally agree with the arguments you made and I especially love the last sentence! Nice work👍🏻
DeleteThere were two shocking points to this blog for myself. One, who actually is Fidel Castro? And second, he died? I vaguely remember learning about him during history class. I remember the name, but not many details of his life and what he's done. Naturally, I googled him and found out I do remember a few aspects of his life; the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Bay of Pigs. Knowing now that he has passed away, I would not go to the funeral. For those who commit threats against our country and it's allies, we do not sympathize their death, nor do we necessarily celebrate it, but attending his funeral would be hypocritical to our beliefs. Sorrowing the death of a man who has done wrong to our country is unnecessary. That is like sympathizing the death of Bin Laden. The severity of their threats doesn't matter in this situation, but it's the threats itself. They deliberately made terroristic threats against our nation, our people, and our government. They do not deserve our American attendance to their funeral ceremony.
ReplyDeleteI respect your opinion, Emily, and totally understand where you are coming from! Are you saying that all Americans should not attend out of respect for their country? If so, what if an American was his friend or family member? Is their obligation to their country greater than their obligation to their family?
DeleteThe blog is a very open-ended question, so I'll answer it as such. Irregardless of how he managed his country or his life, the deceased could be anyone. Because I'm a Christian, if I was invited as a friend of the family, then it's my duty to go to be supportive of those left behind and to pray for the deceased's soul. If I could go to his funeral having also fulfilled my Sunday obligation, then yes. But if everybody was getting invitations, and it had no personal meaning, then no, because my time would be better spent in Church praying. A human is a human, no matter how horrible they may be.
ReplyDeleteTim, I can definitely see your point and I commend you for having an open mind for attending his funeral.
DeleteTimmy, I really respect this viewpoint you have on the question. It's definitely different than and most people would probably not consider the way you were thinking. .
DeleteWhen I looked at this weeks blog I knew next to nothing about Fidel Castro and I did not think I would be able to make a good argument in my blog. My first instinct was to go to my dad because not only does he have an answer to practically everything, he also puts a Catholic twist to what he says. After having a great discussion with my dad and further researching Fidel Castro, I have come to the conclusion that I would not be attending his funeral. Although I will be praying for Castro's soul, by going to his funeral it would give the sense that I approve of his dictatorship and his persecution of the Cuban people.
ReplyDeleteFidel Castro was tyrannical communist dictator of Cuba. He shut down free press, confiscated personal property, and persecuted the Catholic Church. When Castro took power in Cuba, he took control over all of the newspapers, radio stations, and television stations in order to maintain the information that went around Cuba. Since Castro was trying to turn Cuba into a communist nation, all businesses became property of the communist party. Therefore, all ownership of personal property was band. One of the biggest problems I have with Fidel Castro was his persecution against the Catholic Church. Cuba used to have a very large population of Catholics before Fidel Castro came along. He made most Cubans drop their faith because he would not allow practicing Catholics to have good paying jobs and he also started to confiscate some of the Catholic Churches. To be a good dictator, one must control the people through fear. Religion can give people a sense hope and with hope fear will decrease. Castro saw the Catholic Church as a threat because he knew that he could not always be the only leader in the eyes of a Catholic. Therefore, Fidel Castro's goal in life was to have complete dictatorship of his country and the civilians. That is why I would NOT be attending his funeral.
I would not go to Fidel Castro's funeral if I was invited. Why? I wouldn't attend because I think it would be inappropriate. I didn't know Fidel Castro nor anything about him, therefore why would I attend? I would even question my invite if this were to happen because I believe funerals are for those who knew the deceased person to remember and celebrate their life. At funerals, everyone contributes to conversations about what a great person they were and memories with that person. I wouldn't be able to contribute to the conversations, AT ALL. If I were to attend it would be for selfish reasons, such as being able to tell people I went to Fidel Castro's funeral, and that would be horrible. It would be more hurtful for the family than helpful. As Tim mentioned, we are called to pray for his soul and family, but sometimes it's better to do that in private.
ReplyDeleteI like you and Tim's perspective about this. It's quite different from mine. I guess you could say you called me about about being selfish! I didn't think about this side of the argument. I like how you wrapped this up. Good closing.
DeleteI like how you straight up told us that you don't know anything about him! I love your view on funerals and I also loved your closing
DeleteIf I was invited to Fidel Castros funeral I would attend because he was a good and authoritative leader that ruled for many years. In 1947 Fidel joined the Cuban People’s Party. He liked this party's campaign against against corruption, injustice, poverty, unemployment and low wages. Before this Fidel was a lawyer and in the time he experienced as a lawyer he became extremely critical of the great inequalities in wealth that existed in Cuba. Once Castro was in power one of the first things he did was cut rent for low paid workers as much as 50%. Castro was also morally opposed to racism so he abolished segregation laws in public places like. swimming pools and cemeteries. Castro also believed in education for all so at this time when there were poor rural areas, the children were all taught how to read and write. Education soon became free to all Cubans. There was also a free health service introduced by the government to help the health of the young people and also began a vaccination program. Fidel cared greatly about the people of our age and I would be curious to learn even more about what he did for people of our age and for the rest of his country as well. He had his bad side but overall I think he was a caring leader and had a heart and wanted what was best for his people.
ReplyDeleteBrandi, I was really suprised when I read your blog. From history classes, the only thing I really remember hearing about Castro was that he was mean and abusive towards the Cuban people. Unless I, thinking of the wrong person, this Fidel Castro seems completely different.
DeleteThe simplicity of this blog kind of caught me off guard. It's a rather funny and shocking question to be asked. While I would almost feel like an invader to his funeral, I think it's my duty to attend. I really don't remember too much about Castro. I know he was harsh to the people of Cuba, but that's about it. I don't remember if he was the president, some ruler, or just came to power randomly. It reminds me of Hitler, though. If I had the opportunity to attend his funeral, I would hands down go. I think often we don't realize that we're apart of history in the making. Castro's death, regardless of if I'm a fan or not, is major history. Because of his important role in the history of Cuba, his death is going to have a certain impact. I would feel like an intruder going to his funeral because of the little information I know about him. However, I believe it's my duty to attend because I'm a part of making history. Even my impact, though small it would probably be, would still be a big enough impact to make history. That is why I would attend Castro's funeral.
ReplyDelete